Take these steps to speed care to cardiac patients
Here are the steps that occur when patients present with possible cardiac symptoms at the ED at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, FL:
- The patient is immediately put into a wheelchair and brought to a room at triage where the electrocardiogram (ECG) is completed by a technician.
- The concierge follows the patient into the room, and the patient is preregistered at the bedside.
- The technician brings the ECG to the nurse, who obtains the patient's family history and presenting symptoms. This chest pain risk stratification tool is used to help the physician determine the patient's acuity.
- The nurse brings the ECG and the chest pain stratification tool to the ED physician for review. The patient is placed in a room; or if there are no rooms available, the charge nurse is notified. All emergent patients are found a room, even if it means bringing a patient waiting for a disposition to wait in the ED hallway.
- If the patient is deemed urgent or nonurgent, they have their labs and chest X-ray done, and reassessment is done by the nurse in the waiting room.
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